Lips of An Angel
by Hnuie
Summary: Cloud and Tifa have separated and haven't seen each other for years. But that doesn't mean they never think about each other. [Oneshot.SongFic] Not set in DoC, AC, or the original game.


**Story Title: **_Lips of An Angel_  
**Rating: **_K+_  
**Genre: **_Romance and General_  
**A/N: **_"Lips of An Angel" is the title of a song performed by the band Hinder. Listen to it!_  
**Disclaimer: **_I do not own any characters appearing in this fanfiction._

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_Honey, why you calling me so late?  
It's kinda hard to talk right now  
Honey, why you crying? Is everything okay?  
I gotta whisper 'cause I can't be too loud_

It was ten o'clock at night when Cloud and Aerith went to bed. The moonlight poured in through the drapes and the slightly opened window allowed a cool breeze to stream into the room. Beside him, Cloud felt Aerith's body moving steadily as she breathed in and out in rhythmic beats. She was already fast asleep, but Cloud was having trouble just closing his eyes. Everything was satisfying enough, and his life couldn't have been better. But there was something missing in it, and it left him feeling empty.

Aerith turned over in her sleep, now facing him. Her innocent sleeping face was beautiful and unflawed. Cloud moved her hair from her face and she stirred slightly, but recognizing his gentle touch, continued to sleep peacefully. Cloud loved her. He really did. But at times something didn't feel right, as if she wasn't the person he was meant to lie down next to night after night.

Ring… ring… ring… 

A ringing in the distance woke Aerith, and she rubbed her eyes tiredly. Cloud got out of bed, recognizing the ringing. It was his cell phone. "I must've left it in the kitchen." He told Aerith. She smiled at him warmly then returned to sleep as he left the room and entered the dark kitchen. The blue screen on his phone lit up brightly on the kitchen counter. Cloud held the small phone in his hand and checked the screen to see who would call him at this time of night. When he read the name, he nearly dropped his phone. He calmly breathed in and out to rest his nerves, then answered the caller as quietly as he could.

"Tifa?"

Cloud heard nothing for a moment, and was afraid it wasn't her after all. But then he heard a soft voice on the other end say, "Hey."

His heart pounded in his chest as he thought of what to say. "It's so late."

"I'm sorry." Tifa apologized.

"It's all right." Assured Cloud. "What did you want to talk about?"

Silence followed. Cloud could sense the uneasiness in Tifa as she stayed quiet on the other line. She and Cloud went back a ways. So far back that their relationship now was quite a mess. Though they had their moments of loving and resenting, Cloud always thought about her. It was difficult for him to tell her that directly though. And it seemed she felt the same way.

A broken relationship. That was what they had.

Cloud heard muffled sounds on the other end. Then he realized that Tifa was crying. It had been so long since he's heard that heart breaking sound. He wanted to rush to her side and comfort her.

"Tifa, what's wrong?" Cloud asked, even though he knew she wouldn't tell him. He could imagine her sitting on her bed, hands to her mouth to cover up her sniffling, shaking her head refusing to tell him. And as he thought of that, she said, "Nothing."

"…Has everything been hard for you too?" Cloud hoped that she would at least answer that question.

"Yes." She replied, her voice becoming emotional. "I don't know how long I can deal with this."

"…You can." Tifa was at the point of breaking, and Cloud felt like he was nearing that edge too. But if what he can say to Tifa can help her regain her confidence like how he remembered her, then he would give her that reassurance. Even if it meant she would finally be able to move on and leave him in the dust. He didn't mind. It was his fault she was like this now. "Tifa, you can. Someday you'll look back on this and realize this pain has made you stronger. And it will."

"What about you?" Tifa asked, controlling her shaking voice.

"I don't know..." Cloud answered a bit too quietly.

Tifa sniffled and said innocently, "What?"

_Well, my girl's in the next room   
Sometimes I wish she was you  
I guess we never really moved on_

Cloud rubbed the back of his neck and looked into the hallway at the room where Aerith slept. The door was wide open, and he was afraid she'd hear if she woke again. He returned to Tifa and whispered, "Aerith… is sleeping right now."

"…I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For calling... after so long.

"But…I'm glad you called."

"Why… is that?"

Cloud sensed confusion, and smiled as he said, "I sometimes… wish it had been you."

There was silence. Cloud could only imagine a fresh flood of tears streaming down Tifa's eyes at what he said. He closed his eyes and spoke his thoughts to her, "I would've liked to have seen you… in a white dress walking down the aisle as I waited on the other end." He opened his eyes serenely. "…I would have liked that."

Tifa was crying uncontrollably now, but she still managed to say, "I-I would have l-liked that too…"

"Tifa…" Cloud wanted to do anything to be with her. To make her happy, to make her feel safe, to make her feel loved. He often grew angry with himself when he wondered why she hadn't been the one. And he only had himself to blame. Was it wrong being with Aerith? Was it right to not be with Tifa? Was it? When he was furious over that certain topic, he never let Aerith see him. She always worried over him and no doubt did she know about his relationship with Tifa. It was a forbidden topic to them.

_It's really good to hear your voice   
Saying my name, it sounds so sweet   
Coming from the lips of an angel   
Hearing those words it makes me weak_

"Tifa, I might not be there with you, but go ahead… cry as long as you want." Cloud soothed.

"I'm j-just wasting your t-time…" Tifa sobbed.

"No, Tifa. Even if it's just to hear your voice, it's never a waste of my time… I only wish I was there."

Cloud stayed on the phone the entire time Tifa cried. Soon she gained control of her emotions, and they soon began talking about things in their life, though it was a bit painful for both of them to know that for the past couple of years they've been living completely different lives without each other involved at all. It was past twelve, but they didn't care.

"Cloud, where are you living now?" Tifa asked, her voice shaky after all the crying.

"In a city near the ocean."

"That must be beautiful."

"Are you still working at Seventh Heaven?"

"Yes. I had the bar remodeled a bit though."

"Really?" Cloud thought for a moment. "…I'd like to see that."

There was a pause. "…Yes, that'd be nice."

Cloud didn't really know where the conversation was going anymore. He had tried avoiding a sensitive topic, but it seemed inevitable. After talking to Tifa, he only then realized so much had happened since they last spoke with one another. What surprised him was that they both still seemed to hang onto the past. If Tifa hadn't clung onto it, she wouldn't have called after all. He really was glad that she did though. He was beginning to be afraid that he might forget the sound of her voice. Or worse, forget about her completely.

"Cloud?"

Tifa's sweet voice brought him back. There was a ring in his name whenever she'd say it, and he liked the way it sounded. It was different from how Aerith would say it. A unique sound that only Tifa could pull off. He wondered if he ever told her that.

_And I never wanna say goodbye   
But girl, you make it hard to be faithful   
With the lips of an angel_

"What is it?"

"Cloud…" Tifa repeated. "How is everything… with Aerith?"

"Everything's… been fine."

"I'm glad. She's a good person, Cloud."

"I know." Cloud stared at the room where Aerith slept. If he blocked out other sounds, he could almost hear her soft breathing. She was still asleep. It hurt him to be talking to Tifa behind her back. But it was Tifa… he couldn't ignore her. He _wouldn't_ ignore her. There were times when he came really close to leaving Aerith, but he'd always stay. He was already happy with Aerith, wasn't that enough? Was he so selfish that he would leave Aerith for what he wanted? He didn't want to think so. He didn't want to believe that he cared more about himself than Aerith. If he really did leave her, she'd be devastated. And he wouldn't be able to live with that.

"Did you come?" Cloud asked seemingly out of the blue.

"Yes, I did." Tifa said. Cloud could "hear" a sad smile in her voice as she spoke. "She was beautiful in that white dress you bought her. She's lucky to have you."

Cloud didn't know if he should thank her or agree, so he kept quiet. Tifa was always so open-minded. During the times when their relationship was going downhill, she never blamed Aerith, not once. Even now it seemed she was still forcing herself to accept everything as it was. Yet she was talking to Cloud about everything. It probably only reopened wounds that had taken years to heal for her.

"I didn't see you though." Cloud said.

"…I left after the vows."

"I see…"

_It's funny that you're calling me tonight  
And yes, I've dreamt of you too  
Does he know you're talking to me?  
Will it start a fight?  
No, I don't think she has a clue_

"It's been… a year, has it?" Cloud said. "Seems like only yesterday since that day, yet forever since I've seen you."

"I feel the same way."

"But…why now?"

"You mean… why have I called you now after so long?"

"Yeah."

Tifa laughed quietly, but it sounded empty and lonely. "I… was thinking about things. And… I got really sad."

"…To tell you the truth," Cloud started. "I've been thinking about you too, even when I sleep." A hollow silence filled the air. Before Cloud could add to what he said, he heard a voice coming from Tifa's end, then everything went silent. After a moment, Tifa returned, speaking quietly.

"I'm sorry about that." She said.

"It's fine." Cloud didn't know whether or not he should pursue the topic, but he just had to ask, "…Does he know?"

"No." she replied simply. "He doesn't know."

"Will you… be all right?" Cloud asked, worried.

"Yes. But, what about Aerith?"

"…She's sleeping." Cloud looked over to the dark hallway, listening with bated breath for any signs of Aerith awake and aware of everything. All was still, and Cloud relaxed again.

Tifa said, "I'm sorry for keeping you up so late. I didn't intend on that."

"I'm the one choosing to stay up, so don't apologize."

_Honey, why you calling me so late?_

In the quiet of the night, Cloud heard the sound of two cards driving by. Then it was silent except for the occasional barking of their neighbor's dog. It was two in the morning, and even Cloud had to admit that he was getting a bit tired. But he didn't see it as a good enough reason to stop talking to Tifa just yet. It seemed that she only had one thing to tell him when she called, but they ended up talking about other things and she never got to tell him.

"It's already two…" Tifa said sounding sleepy. "I probably won't be able to open the bar."

"You should get some sleep then." Cloud wanted to keep talking with her, but not if it meant ruining her schedule.

"…You're right. I should go."

"Tifa… before you go…"

"Yes?" She sounded almost in a hurry to leave, as if she knew what Cloud was about to ask.

"…What did you really call for?"

There was a pause as Tifa hesitated.

"Cloud… I miss you."


End file.
